


Call the Super

by orphan_account



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Divorced Wufei, Fluff, Former College Roommates, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Nagging, Single Fatherhood, Single Parent AU prompt on Tumblr, Wufei is a Dad and He is OCD, Your Apartment is Being Renovated and You're Staying with Me Trope, reassurance, the author is a horrible person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 07:33:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8196040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Wufei’s daughter always has fun when her Uncle Duo comes to visit for a couple of hours, which is about as long as Type A, twitchy, recently divorced and neat freak Wufei can stand to have company over. Then Duo’s pipes burst.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [simulacraryn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/simulacraryn/gifts), [ClaraxBarton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaraxBarton/gifts).



> Taken from the Tumblr “Single Parent AU” prompts, “You’ve been sleeping at mine because your house is being renovated and we aren’t even dating, yet every time you wake up to the baby crying and sigh, “I’ll go; I feel like we might as well be married.”
> 
> No Smut. I felt like writing something mellow for a change.

It was supposed to be a peaceful night in.

Wufei made it home on the six-thirty red line train, with Melinda balanced on his hip while he held his laptop case strap draped across his body and her umbroller in the other hand, buffeted by the rush hour crowd. No one cared that he had a squirmy one-year-old; an elderly woman asked if he wanted her seat, but he politely declined. She grinned, though, at Melinda in her little crocheted Pikachu bat with the ears on it that he bought on a trip to Pier 39 in San Francisco from one of the ubiquitous street vendors. Wufei didn’t blame her for being charmed; Melinda was adorable in the hat.

He made it home, finally depositing his daughter in her stroller once they made it to the top of the escalators and the other side of the turnstile. He sucked in the bracing night air, mentally reminding himself he needed to get Melinda a winter jacket; her windbreaker was too thin for the autumn that waited just around the corner. Wufei stopped at the Safeway and picked up a rotisserie chicken and a pint of minestrone soup; it was lazy, he knew, but at least it included a few of the food groups. His neck was sore and tense from a day hunched over his teleconference phone and computer, and he couldn’t wait to kick off his hard leather Stacy Adams and putter around the house in his bare feet and boxers.

Melinda babbled at him, pointing at a pigeon pecking at a discarded half a hot dog in a disgusting paper wrapper in the gutter. “Ba. Ba-ba. Buhd.”

“Is that a bird, sweetheart?”

“Uh-huh. Buhd. He’s ee-ding.”

“Yes, he is. That’s not how we eat, though. We eat off of plates. Not off the ground.” Because it never hurt to take advantage of a teachable moment. 

“Not off the grouuuund,” she parroted back, pleased with herself. Wufei managed to make it to the sign-in desk at his apartment tower. The lobby receptionist grinned at him, making a cooing face at Melinda.

“Hey, big girl. You’re getting so big!”

“She’s outgrowing everything again,” Wufei said sourly. “It’s time to head back to Target.”

“They’re having a sale on leggings. Stock up now,” she suggested. “Ooh. Package. Here you go.” She handed him his Amazon order, the cookbooks that he splurged on a couple of days ago. Wufei wouldn’t admit that he was addicted to Prime.

He bade her goodbye – well, it was more of a noncommittal wave, his feet were killing him, Melinda’s diaper smelled questionable, and he was starved. Wufei got into the elevator and went up to the seventh floor, north side, keying his way inside. Thankfully, he’d gotten the dishes washed and the trash emptied before he left that morning, so the apartment didn’t smell “lived in” and sour. He couldn’t handle it. Clutter impeded his ability to “human” and do the adulty things. A crowded dining room table or unmade bed drove him batshit crazy and created mental noise.

He got Melinda changed and took her to the bathroom to wash her hands with her favorite fruity-smelling Softsoap and then set her loose in front of the TV, turning it to the Disney channel. It was innocuous, but it guaranteed him a few minutes to think. The work clothes, impeccably starched at the dry cleaners and sharp on his spare frame, were uncomfortable as hell after eight hours. The silk tie slithered down from his neck, then flew across the room onto the dresser in a ball. He shucked the slacks and shirt onto the top of the hamper; they would go into the garment bag after dinner. It was time for ugly PJ pants and a wifebeater tank. As he changed into a pair of flannel bottoms with yellow Batman logos on a black background, Wufei glanced at one of the last framed photos that he had of himself and Sally with Melinda. They had driven up to Stirling City to visit Sally’s parents and stopped to see the snow. They all had red cheeks and noses, and Sally was sitting with Melinda on her lap, much smaller and bundled under so many layers that she couldn’t move. Tufts of her sandy brown hair stuck out from beneath her pink Dora the Explorer beanie, and she was pointing at Wufei as he built them a dilapidated snowman with twigs sticking out for arms. Sally looked amused at his expense. She had the fun job, he mused bitterly.

That was nothing new.

*

Wufei was halfway through an episode of “Ink Master” that he DVR’ed for himself, while Melinda toyed with his smartphone from his lap when he heard a sharp knock at his door.

“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath. He didn’t want guests. Or the neighbors’ kids trying to sell him more Girl Scout cookies or Little League candy bars. Didn’t anyone believe in letting a guy eat dinner in peace, or not stopping by unannounced?

“We don’t want any,” Wufei intoned before he even made it to the door. “This isn’t a good time.” He leaned against the door and heard familiar chuckling from the other side.

“C’mon, ‘Fei, you know you want what I’ve got,” Duo told him. ‘Fei glanced through the peephole and noticed that Duo looked… odd. Disheveled, unprepared to visit at all. He had a black duffel slung over his shoulder and his hair was in disarray. Wufei undid the dead bolts and chain to let him in, and he huffed as Duo barged his way inside. 

“Hey! Duo… ew. What… why are you all soaked?” And tracking Lord only knew what across his freshly shampooed _carpets_ , he wanted to add.

“Yeah. Funny story. I was minding my own business, about to wash my dishes, and this big hunk of carrot went down the sink. It started to flood a little, so I went to hit the garbage disposal button, and then- “ and he made a grinding, sputtering sound with his lips. “Whole thing took a crap. It gave up a death rattle loud enough to shake the cosmos, and I went under the sink to try to reset it.”

“And?” Wufei crossed his arms. Duo was still dripping and looked like a drowned rat.

“I hit the reset button, and the whole _disposal_ fell off the pipe, because this building’s got plumbing left over from Lincoln’s administration in office.” Wufei shrugged, nodding. The building had been given an expensive facelift, with new flooring and paint in the halls, an elevator had been replaced, and they redid the whole front lobby with glittering granite, but the plumbing still sucked. “The faucet was still running, and the pipe collapsed in my damn hand, ‘Fei-“

“Language,” Wufei hissed. “Little rabbits have big ears, too.” 

“Sorry. Hey, baby girl!” Duo called over, waving. Melinda gave him a bashful look and hid under the coffee table. “Okay. We’ll talk later, then. Anyway, long story short, I called the lazy super and yelled at him for twenty minutes to send over a plumber. Guy just stood there, scratching his ass-“

“A-hem,” Wufei growled, motioning to Melinda again, who was now playing peekaboo from behind the couch, hovering around the edge of the arm every time Duo shot her a smile. He could commit homicide with that smile, Wufei groused to himself. He went home with several numbers stuffed into his pockets every time he unleashed it at the bar on those rare occasions when ‘Fei could get a sitter or get Sally to switch his weekend visitation schedule. Melinda’s eyes crinkled and she ducked behind the couch again.

“He said he won’t have the parts to fix the pipe until _next week_ ,” Duo continued. “And my kitchen’s flooded. Floor’s ruined.”

Wufei covered his hand with his mouth and sighed.

Duo slung the bag from his shoulder and shoved it into his friend’s arms. “So. What’s for din-din?”

*

Duo was fine with the wings of the chicken, even though he pretended to argue with Melinda over the drumstick on her plate. Wufei’s eyes flitted around the kitchen, hoping it looked clean enough. Granted, Duo was a slob in his own place, but he was _company_ here. Wufei had standards. He let Duo shower after dinner, and he came back, hair damp but pulled into a fresh braid, also clad in flannel pajama bottoms and a soft, faded gray pocket tee. It felt so strange, seeing him dressed for bed instead of his work clothes. Duo worked at the auto parts store around the corner and did tune-ups and tire rotation in the repair shop. 

He sank down onto the couch at the other end and tucked his legs beneath him; he knew feet on the coffee table were a no-no. “What’re we watching?”

“Flash challenge. Realistic animals in black and gray.”

“Thank God. At least it’s not biomechanical again.”

“You have biomechanical tattoos,” ‘Fei pointed out. Duo’s ink snaked down both arms in a riot of color, rivets and gears and pistons mimicking blood vessels and muscle.

“I know, but they never get any artists on here that know how to do it right.”

He had a point.

Melinda kept bringing toys from her chest in the corner for Duo’s consideration, and he obligingly had a conversation with whoever was on the other end of her toy phone, pretended to drink the tea she made in her Disney princess cup and saucer, and played “Trottie Trot Trot to Boston” with her until his legs grew stiff from bouncing her on his lap. Wufei vacillated between telling him that he didn’t need to indulge her so much, but Duo’s wan face, no doubt exhausted as his own had to look at that time of night, lit up when he played with his goddaughter. Melinda and Duo were thick as thieves. 

Wufei didn’t want to admit any time soon that it made his heart knock in his chest.

*

Wufei managed to get Melinda put to bed for the night in her toddler bed. Her expression was mulish and noncommittal, even after three bedtime stories and all of her stuffed animal “babies” occupying the toddler bed with her.

“It’s still early yet,” Duo mentioned around a yawn.

“Are you kidding? I get her put down to bed as early as I can.” It was the only way he could get a few minutes to himself, but he wouldn’t say that aloud. “And you’re about to fall over, yourself.”

“I know. Had an early day. Sucked. Johnson was out sick, so I had to open and man the counter. I hate working inside.” Duo preferred the repair shop, going out into the lot to inspect the cars that people brought in and give estimates instead of being cooped up behind a cash register. Wufei stopped by to take him to lunch about twice a month. They were a sight together, Wufei in his suits and Duo in his dark blue coveralls with his name embroidered on the pocket.

“So. A week.”

“Oh. Yeah. Heh. I know it’s short notice, and everything-“

“It’s okay. It’ll be… interesting, but we can manage something.”

“I can help you out, ‘Fei. I can float you some cash, if you want-“

“No. I don’t. Don’t worry about it. Just… don’t stay up too late. Melinda’s a light sleeper, and she gets night frights. She’s a bear if she doesn’t get her eight hours.”

“So’re you.” Duo sighed. He was a night person at heart, a habit gleaned from a childhood of foster care. When they lived in the same wing of their dorm building during college, Wufei was one of the residents that would call the RAs with noise complaints when they came from Duo’s dorm; so they were a little loud after Dollar Pitcher nights every Thursday? Duo and his roommate always knew that when the RAs came knocking, it was because the snotty, short hottie with the slick ponytail in the room next to the student lounge ratted them out again. He resented him, but Duo thought Wufei was also ridiculously cute when he was mad.

Duo had sublet for one of Wufei’s roommates that broke their half of the lease early their senior year, and it had been a match made in hell. Passive aggressive post-it notes littered the fridge and counter over who drank the last of the milk and whose turn it was to walk the payment down to the power company that month, or who left their washload in the dryer too long. Wufei was a loner most of the time, or he spent most of his time at Sally’s when he wasn’t studying. Duo was the sort to lounge on a couch in the middle of their apartment complex’s parking lot that they shared with the one next door, staying outside smoking clove cigarettes and drinking wine coolers once he had finished reading his lit chapters (or as much of them as he could stand). Duo was brash and loud, not shy about taking about indelicate topics in mixed company. Wufei was just glad he was always timely with his half of the rent, but he was relieved when Sally finally broached the subject of the two of them getting another place in the city. He gave her a ring a few months later; Duo sent them a postcard from Italy, where he’d gone to “find himself” for a while. Thankfully, their lease was already up.

It was so strange. Once Duo was gone, Wufei had the chance to actually _miss_ him. Just… some of their quirky talks about what it was like for each of them to be an only child (Duo’s foster brother, Solo, had broken Duo’s arm in a fight, prompting social services to place him again in a home that didn’t have any other children; Wufei was a “late in life surprise baby” to parents who were both doctors. Duo was a decent cook, which surprised him; he cobbled together decent meals out of few, cheap ingredients, often sharing the contents of his saucepan with Wufei in the middle of the night when he came stumbling in, tipsy and starving. They ate those meals in low light, sitting on the kitchen counters or the barstools, with Duo complaining that his ears were ringing from the club’s speakers or the wind rushing into them from the pedi-cab ride home. He wore the remnants of his evening clothes, shirt unbuttoned, hair escaping its long plait, removing the hoop earrings (several pairs) and leaving them scattered across the counter, even though Wufei constantly nagged him against it, depositing them back on Duo’s dresser every morning with an impressed look.

He missed the sound of his voice and the way he sprawled on the couch or the horrendous Target bean bags he insisted on buying, all long limbs and long hair draped over the side. He missed Duo’s equally awful taste in TV and music; he blamed him for making him _like_ Nicki Minaj and French Montana, now, and for his addiction to “Worst Cooks in America.” (How were so many adults such utter failures at using a kitchen knife?)

He missed his lack of respect for Wufei’s personal space, the way he would shoulder-check him in the hallway even if he had plenty of room to get around him, or the occasional, random slap on the ass to nag him to hurry if they were getting ready to go out. Or the way he would wiggle out of the way when Wufei would come after him, hand brandished in the air to administer the corrective spanking he so _richly_ deserved. He relished Duo’s mischievous yelp and the way he would try to lean back against walls and furniture to shield his ass from Wufei’s (feigned) wrath.

So, here he was, occupying Wufei’s space, dressed in grubs and barefoot, so cozy that Wufei wished he could tuck him under a blanket and pull him close. “Spare room?” he offered. Wufei never downsized to a two-bedroom unit when he and Sally split, even though the rent was killing him. He wanted the space for his office, so that Melinda could eat her meals at the table where they belonged, without having to compete for space with her father’s laptop, bills and paperwork. The spare room was tiny and cramped, but he had a futon that, amusingly, used to belong to Duo when they still lived together. Wufei inherited it “With my blessings, man,” but he made it up with some soft five hundred thread count sateen sheets and a thick comforter. He tossed a spare pillow onto it, listening to Duo’s bare feet padding after him as he fetched extra blankets from the linen pantry in the hall. It smelled faintly of fabric softener sheets.

“Gonna be warm enough?”

“I’m fine, ‘Fei.” He shrugged. “Could have just taken the couch.”

“Seems silly, when you can have the room. We’re not savages.”

“Go to bed, ‘Fei.” Duo waved him on, sitting on the futon and shaking out the blanket as his last notice that he wanted to end the conversation and be left alone.

“See you in the morning. Just… don’t overdo it. Don’t stay up?”

“You won’t hear a peep. Pinkie promise.”

“I don’t mean to be anal about it.”

“Yes, you do, too. It’s part of your questionable charm. I won’t wake the munchkin if I can help it. ‘Night-night, ‘Fei.”

*

Except it wasn’t Duo’s fault she woke up.

Wufei heard the familiar whimpers around midnight, and his sigh tapered off to a growl as he rolled to his back, scrubbing his face. She’d yanked him out of a sound sleep, and he counted to three, wondering if she might go back to-

“DADDY!”

“Crap,” he muttered, flinging off the covers. He stumbled a little from the inertia of pulling himself up, retrieving the undershirt he had discarded and headed for Melinda’s room. Her night light was on, but he saw shadows flickering over the walls as he opened the door all the way (he always left it cracked open, anyway), and he blearily stared at Duo, who was already sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his daughter’s back.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? You scared?”

“Yes,” she whimpered. “There’s monsters.”

Wufei sighed. It had become more common, lately. Sally said it happened more at her place, too, and that she often woke up to Melinda running into her room at the crack of dawn, the top of her little sandy head butting her in the chin as she banzai-dove into the bed with Mommy.

“You don’t have to get up with her, Duo.”

“S’no biggie. C’mere, peanut,” Duo cooed, tugging Melinda up and encouraging her to come to him. She whimpered again and scrambled into her lap, taking her small stuffed bear with her. Her legs dangled off of Duo’s lap and he rubbed her back, rocking her where he sat on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t want you to have to stay up,” Wufei argued, but he was moved at how easily Melinda trusted his friend, her doll tucked under her arm, wrapped around Duo’s waist, too. Her other hand clutched Duo’s long braid in a familiar impulse; she loved to tug on clothing and hair since she was an infant, using it to self-soothe, and Duo’s braid was her favorite security blanket to hold.

“We’re just visiting. We’re fine. Go back to bed and catch a few more Z’s, ‘Fei.”

“There’s no point in my going that far. Sometimes I end up camping out with her.”

“Well, lay down here, then,” Duo huffed.

Wufei’s laugh was rusty and hoarse. “I don’t fit.”

“Sure you will. I can stuff you into my pocket. Lay down, stupid.”

Melinda poked Duo in the side. “Dat’s a bad word.”

“Well. I’m sorry, peanut. Uncle Duo was bad. You’re right.”

“Monsters,” she reminded them both. Wufei sighed again.

“It’s okay, peanut. Daddy is gonna do a quick sweep and make sure there aren’t any monsters, okay?”

“He is?” Wufei asked, raising a brow. Duo smirked at him over his daughter’s head, stroking her fine wisps of hair as she let out a gusty yawn.

“Yup. Just a quick check of the perimeter.”

“How is this my life?” Wufei muttered as he went into the kitchen to get the flashlight, since this was part of the ritual. He found it in the drawer where it belonged, hoping the batteries still worked. He came back into the room, and instead of turning on the room lights, he just turned on the flashlight and scooted down onto his knees, flipping up the edge of the comforter where it obscured the edge of the bed frame. “Hello, under there? Yo?” He flicked the flashlight under the bed, seeing nothing but dustballs (he really needed to vacuum, and that thought was going to drive him _nuts_ ). He went to the closet and continued his “perimeter check.” Melinda’s head lifted from Duo’s shoulder, and she rubbed her eyes.

“Any more monsters?”

“They disappeared,” Wufei assured her, shrugging. “See?” He shone the flashlight around the room, opening each drawer just in case. “Nope. No more naughty monsters.”

“Your dad is awesome. He’s big and strong. They don’t mess around when Daddy’s around, peanut.” Duo kissed the top of Melinda’s head. “Feel better?”

“M’thirsty.”

Because of _course_ she was. Wufei got up and fetched her a sippy cup with a couple of ounces of water in it, and she drank it in noisy, gasping gulps.

“We good?” Duo asked. That earned him a sleepy nod as Wufei took the cup from her tiny fist. 

“Night-night time, sweetie,” Wufei reminded her. She climbed out of Duo’s lap reluctantly and shuffled back beneath the covers.

“Monster buster extraordinaire,” Duo murmured once they both tip-toed out of the room.

“Shut up,” Wufei told him cheerfully as he escaped back to his room. He gave Duo a shove when he snickered at him.

He supposed it shouldn’t have surprised him when Melinda jerked him out of a sound sleep once more, managing to knock the wind out of him when she tackle-dove onto his chest at 4AM and slithered under his covers.

*

 

Duo received more bad news two days later. Wufei raised his eyebrows at Duo’s loud, exasperated breath (laced with expletives) while he paced Wufei’s living room. Duo had his cell phone glued to his ear, flailing his free hand and tugging his bangs. “Seriously?” he carped at the super. “It’s not my fault the floor got ruined! I called you right away and dirtied all my clean towels…”

“What’s going on?” Wufei interrupted. Duo held up a hand, gesturing that he could only listen to one person at a time.

“How many days are we looking at? I need to be able to get into my apartment. I mean, I AM paying rent there!”

“No kidding,” ‘Fei muttered under his breath. And it wasn’t cheap.

“Not until two weeks from now?”

Wufei steeled himself against the urge to sigh, allowing himself a slow, silent breath out as he tried to go back to his magazine.

Two weeks. Well.

It wasn’t the worst possibility Wufei could think of, but… it could get awkward. Wufei and Duo were walking on egg shells at times, doing the dance of trying to stay out of each other’s way and respecting the simple boundaries. Duo was being neater than Wufei remembered, helping with gathering up the trash and keeping his dishes out of the sink. Wufei only turned the volume down on the TV a couple of notches when Duo was watching it, now, unlike when they were first roommates, when he would scream at Duo that he needed his ear drums, thanks. Wufei remembered the days of Duo cranking up the speakers when he was playing Call of Duty so high that the cabinets would rattle…

It was nice, having company. Grown-up company. It had been a while since Wufei had come home to someone else starting dinner or bringing in the mail. Melinda enjoyed her godfather, since he broadened her audience for her constant monologues; the two of them watched the Disney channel like Siskel and Ebert. Duo was also tireless, a ball of energy most of the time. When Wufei was on the couch, work shoes finally off, trying to let the burnt-in shadows of spreadsheets and email screens fade from his eyeballs, and Melinda would tackle him, Duo was the one who would take her off his hands for a minute – sometimes a minute was all he was asking for, fer cryin’ out loud – and bounce her on his lap or fly her around like a plane. They were ridiculous and hyper together, delighted by each other’s company, eyes bright and hair flying. Duo would participate in tea parties and let Melinda “help him” hold the gametroller for Mario Kart and let her ride on his back. Wufei read her bedtime stories in a clear, calm voice, but Duo made theatrical effort and sound effects with huge, flourishing gestures. 

Duo peered over at Wufei, murmuring “Is this okay?”

Wufei nodded, making a dismissive gesture with his hand. “It’s fine.”

“I know this sucks. I’m sorry, I just… let me know if-“

“Pffffttt. Quit it. Don’t worry about it. I’ve got the room.” Wufei grinned at Melinda, who was currently tromping around the living room in Duo’s large sneakers and wearing his baseball cap. It fell down over her face, and her grin undid him. He loved his daughter so much. “Melinda seconds that notion. You’re staying, Maxwell.”

“Sure, I see how it is,” Duo chuckled. “You let me stick around so this one can borrow my clothes. Ulterior motives. You’ve been hanging around with me too long, kiddo.” Melinda tromped up to him, grinning up at him, and he chucked her under the chin, making her giggle. He went back to his conversation with the super. “Okay. Two weeks. Can I at least come by and lock up some of my stuff?” Wufei watched him nod, even though the super couldn’t see the movement, but, yeah. That was how phone calls worked.

“Speaking of which, have you seen my NYU hoodie?”

“Hamper. Sorry. I borrowed it.”

Wufei rolled his eyes. “Just help yourself.”

“I said I was sorry!”

*

They became fixtures on the couch, the three of them. Duo bent to Wufei’s rule about no food at the coffee table, to set a good example, even if it meant backtracking once he hit the edge of the carpet, cereal bowl in hand; he would tiptoe meekly back to the dining room, spoon tucked in his mouth. Wufei’s Single Arched Brow was a powerful weapon in the war against clutter and spills.

Duo continued to stay in the guest room, and after a while, he wasn’t living out of his suitcase as much; his clothing gradually found its way into the small, three-drawer dresser, and his jacket and a few of his buttondowns hung in the closet. His toothbrush shared a counter with Wufei’s and his hairbrush with its skeinful of auburn hair strands coiled in its bristles hadn’t made it back into his duffel yet. 

Some nights, after Melinda fell asleep, they lingered on the couch in the dark, bluish light and shadows flickering over them as they chatted until they were hoarse. Duo didn’t remember falling asleep as they watched Castle reruns, but he woke up to the low sound of Wufei’s snores, his soft gusts of breath misting over the crest of his shoulder. His dark lashes looked long and thick, and his face was slack and relaxed, except for the ever-present divot between his brows. He’d slumped against Duo at some point, and when Duo reached up to rub his eyes, Wufei jerked a little at the sensation of movement. His eyes fluttered open, then squinted.

“Whuh…”

“Time to turn in.”

“Ugh…” Wufei pulled away, embarrassed, and he was unsteady as he levered himself up, swaying a little on his feet until Duo reached out to steady him. He gripped his wrist, giving it a little squeeze.

“You okay?”

“M’fine. Ugh,” he repeated. He hated the scuzzy feeling of an interrupted nap. He’d been comfortable, and Duo’s skin was smooth and warm. 

“M’kay. Going to bed?”

“Yeah.” Wufei scrubbed his face and reached up, undoing his hair tie. His hair had grown past his shoulders, and when it was loose, he looked untamed and scruffy, making Duo’s mouth go dry. He longed to touch it, to see if it was as smooth as it looked. _Boundaries, asshole_. He would respect ‘Fei’s, no question about it. Duo eschewed the call of his laptop, deciding that he wanted to sleep more than he wanted to check his Facebook or emails. He also didn’t want the glow from the screen to keep Wufei or Melinda up. It was hard, being a night owl when your host was an early bird.

It didn't help that once he was back in the guest room, with the lights out and the covers pulled up to his chest, he was wide awake, mind running thousands of miles per hour with thoughts of Wufei. 

*

It was so strange, being back in close quarters with him, sharing the same space. They bumped into each other, trying to ease by in the corridor or as they edged past the dryer when the door was open; a shock of unwelcome arousal licked through Duo’s stomach when he grazed Wufei’s ass while he bent to take out a pile of laundry, despite his careful swivel to avoid him. “Sorry,” he stammered, holding his hands up to show he meant to respect his boundaries.

“Yeah, it’s… it’s okay,” Wufei muttered. His own cheeks burned with the contact, at the hitch in Duo’s voice.

“Can’t get by all that junk in the trunk…”

“Jerk,” Wufei hissed, tsking and snapping a rat-tailed shirt at him in umbrage. Duo yelped and darted out of his reach, smirking.

“Taking up all the space.”

“Hmmph.” Wufei refrained from the _Look who’s talking_ that lingered on his tongue. He wasn’t going to be petty. He didn’t mind Duo’s snark. (He actually kind of liked it, even though he would never let on to him about it.) He knew Duo didn’t want to rely on ‘Fei for a place to stay, but it was a better option than a hotel, especially when they lived close to each other, and ‘Fei’s apartment was close to Duo’s work. And Duo wasn’t even putting him out, so what was the problem?

“You almost done with that wash load?”

“Uh-huh.” Wufei flipped open the lid of the washer. “All yours.”

“Good. My work clothes are about to jump into the machine by themselves…”

“Ew…”

Duo bent down to get his laundry basket, and his shirt hem slipped up, creating a gap between the end and his waistband of his jeans. Wufei looked away quickly from Duo’s exposed, taut abdomen and cute butt. He pretended he wasn’t looking when Duo brought the basket over and began to load the washer.

(Duo caught him looking. He suppressed a tiny, pleased smile.)

*

They cooked together. At first, Duo would just bring takeout home for himself so he wouldn’t impose, but Wufei began making enough for three. By the sixth night, Duo made them a pot of chili (mild, for the sake of Melinda’s young taste buds) and served it in bread bowls, topped with ridiculous amounts of grated cheese. They bumped elbows after that, as one would wash the dishes and the other would dry. Putting away groceries was a chore they tag-teamed, occasionally reaching past each other into the fridge or the freezer. The small, inadvertent touches became more frequent. They weren’t unwelcome. 

Melinda often sat between them on the couch, a common link, or perhaps a buffer. Sometimes, Wufei would keep scoop her onto his lap to allow Duo more room, not wanting his daughter to encroach on his space, but Duo didn’t mind. He didn’t care, either, if she played with his braid. It was temptingly long and soft, and Duo sometimes used the tuft at the end to tickle her under her chin. Her giggles were infectious.

“Careful, short stuff. Your daddy’s cracking a smile.”

“Hush, you.”

Duo was just an extension of her father, after a while. If Duo was at his laptop, he was handed a book to read and found a one-year-old clambering up onto his lap. Duo could just as expertly tie off pigtails with beaded loops and glittery shoelaces of light-up sneakers or mix up a sippy cup of strawberry milk. Wufei would sometimes glance at him with an expression mingling envy and amusement (maybe even _resentment_ ) when this would happen, or when he would give his daughter a kiss, and she would promptly go to Duo, who was minding his own business, and poke him expectantly.

“What’s up, short stuff?”

“Kissy,” she informed him.

“Hey!” Wufei protested (half-heartedly) as Duo dutifully pecked her plump little cheek. “Where’s mine?” he would demand, expression trying to be stern. Melinda would double back and give her father another kiss.

“Someone’s needy,” Duo accused him.

“Hush, you!”

It became a thing. When, Duo had no clue. 

The super kept in frequent contact with them. Duo nodded his head as he listened to some of those calls; on bad days, he made shooty fingers at his own temple, rolling his eyes and making ‘Fei snicker under his breath at his expression. But they were making progress. The new floor boards were glued down and “breathing” while the work continued on the plumbing; the contractor that Duo’s super hired found similar problems under the bathroom sink and in the wall beside the shower. There was a leak that accounted for the mold blooming over the paint. But now, Duo would _also_ have to wait for the drywall to be installed.

Duo flopped onto the couch in defeat, rubbing his face. “I give up. Maybe I should just move, fer cryin’ out fuck’s sake.” Wufei gave him a pass on that one; Melinda was taking a much-needed nap after being up half the previous night, cutting molars and running a fever. Both of them got up with her, Duo to fetch medicine and compresses, Wufei to cuddle her in the rocker.

“Hey, you’ll have a remodeled apartment. Technically.”

“No. Just a few Band-Aids over all the crap that’s wrong with the place. Repairs don’t count as ‘remodeling,’ ‘Fei. Seriously. This sucks. I miss my stuff. No offense.”

“None taken.” But maybe Wufei squelched down the little flutter of disappointment in his gut.

“So, y’know. You guys have been great. If I haven’t told you til now, you have,” Duo said.

“What’re friends for?”

“Not for as much as you’ve done. God, ‘Fei. You’ve been a lifesaver.” Duo gave him a light shove, but he let his hand linger on Wufei’s shoulder. Wufei felt his face burning, and the heat spread down his neck, blooming over his chest.

“I told you, it’s no big deal. It’s been… nice. Okay? Don’t worry about it.”

He didn’t to tell him that he wasn’t looking forward to the day that Duo packed his crap and went back to his own place, even though he knew Duo was.

*

(But Duo wasn’t.)

*

Molars. This was one phase of Melinda’s development that Wufei wished he could skip.

He laid there, bleary-eyed for a few moments at the sound of her whimpers from down the corridor, and he glanced at the clock. The angry red digital display told him it was after midnight, and that he wouldn’t be worth shit at his meeting in the morning. Wufei got up and rummaged in his drawer for an undershirt, tugging it on and shuffling out of his room, hissing at the cold floorboards under his bare feet.

Melinda’s door was already ajar.

Wufei was mid-yawn as he reached it and saw Duo illuminated by her night light. He still heard Melinda’s hiccup sobs, but they were hitched and had little pauses in between as Duo rocked her. He held her on his hip, and her little arms were wound around his neck, his braid clutched in her tiny fist. Duo slowly turned at the creak of floorboards behind him. Wufei shrugged at him, leaning against the doorframe. “Hey.”

“Hey. I’ve got this.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s no big deal. I was up, anyway. It’s not like we haven’t done this before.” Duo huffed and turned, continuing to rock Melinda, whose whimpers were giving way to little yawns as he rocked and bounced and patted her back. “Man. It’s like we’re married,” he chuckled.

Wufei cleared his throat, rubbing his nape. “No. This… this isn’t like being married, buddy.” Duo looked at him askance, and both men chuckled. “I’d know…”

“Sorry. I’m an ass. I know.”

“Language?”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Ever want to do this, one day?”

“What?”

“This. Kids. The whole family, tying the knot, sharing a mortgage and utility bills thing.” Wufei made a vague gesture at Melinda’s very girly nursery, with its glow-in-the-dark stars pasted in little constellations on the ceiling.

“Eh. Well… one day. I dunno. It’s on my list of stuff that I figure I’ll get around to, eventually. I mean… it doesn’t look bad when _you_ do it.”

“I’m going to get her the Tylenol drops.”

“She’s got a boogie, too.” Melinda was already sniffling, because nothing said “teething” like a snotty nose. Wufei would be so glad when those teeth finally came in…

It was just so hard, because she was growing up so fast. Wufei didn’t want to “wish” her childhood away or rush her milestones. And he didn’t want to say goodbye to moments like these that made him wish he could snap a picture. Duo was still rocking her, and Melinda was already beginning to nod off against his shoulder, eyes drooping shut. She wouldn’t let go of his braid. Wufei tore himself away and fetched the tissues. Duo was in boxers and an undershirt, too, for decency, but that didn’t obscure the long, lean lines of his body, the sculpted arms and shoulders and rounded glutes, the wiry strength of his legs. In the low light, Duo was beautiful. His soft expression made Wufei ache.

Wufei was having a similar effect on his houseguest, with his dark hair loose and tousled instead of skinned back in its customary, neat ponytail. The shadows under his eyes were too dark, though, Duo mused. Of _course_ he would help him get his daughter back into bed if it meant he could get a little more shut-eye. Wufei came back with the Tylenol and gave Melinda a dropperful and wiped her nose with a couple of Kleenex, thankful that she was old enough to blow. The nasal bulb had caused a rift in their father/daughter dynamic, otherwise known as “Melinda Shrieks at Volumes That Shatter Glass When Daddy Comes Anywhere Near Her With The Nasal Bulb, Don’t Jam That Up My Nose.” 

“Ever have to tweak the snot from her nose with one of those little sucker things?” Duo asked, as though reading Wufei’s mind.

“Ya don’t wanna know.”

“Ew. Yuck.”

“Only thing that helps when they get stuffed up,” Wufei sighed.

“Okay. Maybe I can put off having a family for a few more years.”

“Oh, stop.” Wufei reached out and flicked Duo in the nose.

“Ow! Jerk!” he hissed back, but Duo was grinning. Melinda was yawning more deeply, limbs growing limp, and Duo was slowing down his rocking.

“Here. I’ll take her.”

“Well, just chill out. Lie down, so she can cuddle with you. You’re bushed.”

The toddler bed was tiny and cramped, but Wufei wasn’t going to argue with the chance to lie back down. Duo watched him with amusement as Wufei crawled onto the toddler bed and tried to situate himself, long limbs and all. “Okay, maybe not,” Duo muttered, smothering a snicker.

“This might not work.”

But Duo handed Wufei his daughter, carefully letting her sag into his arms. His arm temporarily got trapped between ‘Fei and Belinda, so that it was pinned against his body for a moment, and Duo breathed in ‘Fei’s scent, his shampoo and fabric softener mingling with his sleep-warmed skin. Melinda flinched, a large motor jerk that made her eyes flutter open for a moment, but she settled back down once Wufei patted her back. Duo backed his way toward the doorway.

“Need anything else?” he whispered.

“No. We’re fine.”

“Okay. Okay. Um… just let me know, if… y’know.”

“Okay.”

“G’night.”

“Night, Duo.”

He felt bereft when Duo left the room. Wufei waited another few minutes, gradually easing his daughter from his chest down to the mattress and tucking her back under the covers. He kissed her forehead and smoothed her sandy wisps of hair back from her face, in awe as usual that he could love one little person so much. It wasn’t easy in those first few weeks of her life. She was tiny and fussy and gassy and she always wanted to nurse. Wufei was convinced that she hated him just on principal; he wasn’t the one dispensing the milk. But she gave him her first genuine, social smile. She babbled “baba” at him once she truly _knew_ him, and he was a goner. Melinda was his whole _world_ after he and Sally called it quits. Wufei wasn’t confident as a dad, and it irked him that understanding children came so easily to Duo. Melinda was crazy about him.

Wufei struggled with the realization that he knew just how she felt.

 

Wufei tiptoed out of the room, barely letting the door click, and he released a shuddering breath once he made it to the corridor. He toyed with the idea of going back to bed, but…

His feet took him to the guest room, where he saw the faint glow of a small screen as he approached. Duo had his phone out; he sat hunched on the bed, long braid hanging down his back. He was thumbing through his voice mails, and Wufei wondered for a moment if any of the messages were from a plus-one. 

“Always thought I’d be done with couch surfing once I was all grown up and out of school,” Duo murmured as he looked up. Wufei huffed, giving him a crooked smile. He folded his arms where he leaned against the doorframe again.

“Don’t… don’t think of it like that. I’m glad to help out. I’m glad you decided to stay with us.”

“Not permanently. I mean, it’s just the repairs, ‘Fei. I’m doing fine, okay? Everything’s fine. I’m paying my bills. No worries.”

“I know.” It had been another source of friction between them while they lived together before; Duo was wrangling classes while working two part-time jobs, barely eking out a living once his financial aid kicked in for his tuition. Sometimes Duo was late with his portion of utilities or he drank the last of the milk, and he wasn’t quick to buy another gallon. Wufei looked back and realized he’d been lucky, having support from his parents. Not everyone had that privilege. He’d thought of Duo as a “slacker,” once, but now he wondered if Duo thought he’d been _spoiled_.

“You’d tell me if you were having trouble, though? Right?”

Duo smiled, but his brows drew together in his best “are you shitting me?” grimace. “Um. Not for the purpose of expecting you to _do_ anything about it, Wuffers.”

“Ugh. No. No, no, no. That name needs to _die_.”

“What? It’s cute! It’s hip!”

“It sucks.” Wufei’s expression threw acres of shade. Duo snickered under his breath, but he quieted down when he heard Melinda’s low, brief moan in the dark.

“Shit. Sorry.”

“She’ll be okay for a while,” Wufei said after a pause. “I’m just glad you’re under my roof. I mean… I’m, uh, glad I can give you a roof. Not ‘give,’ you, but… you know. Lend you a roof, I guess…”

“Aw, Wufei. You’re making me blush.”

Duo was enjoying Wufei’s struggle not to sound deficient. 

“Well, I mean it. I’m just glad you’re here, safe and sound, and… yeah. I should let you go to bed.”

“Wufei?”

“Huh?”

“Y’know… thanks. I don’t know if I’ve said that, yet, so. Thank you for everything you’ve done. Opening your home. It’s… nice. It’s… you keep it nice, and it’s all homey and, I like… I know this sounds kinda lame, but I like coming home to you and Short Stuff. She’s sweet. And you’re-“ Duo stopped himself.

“What?”

“Nothing. You know. I… shit. She’s so much like you. Just, smart and she looks at me like I’m out of my mind, and one-year-olds don’t do that, not like Melinda does. And she’s sweet and adorable, and it’s just nice watching you with her. You look happier than I remember.”

“Having a family can do that,” Wufei murmured, rubbing his nape. His eyes darted to the floor, because his cheeks felt hot, whole body buzzing from the way Duo was staring at them. Both of them sounded a little hoarse from exhaustion and the lateness of the hour. The raspy burr in Wufei’s voice was a turn-on, and Duo was having a hard time squelching his body’s reaction to it, that and seeing him with that dark, glossy hair all flyaway and messy. He wanted so badly to sweep it back from his neck and taste his skin. “I’m crappy at being a husband. I can’t… I can’t be crappy at being a dad. That’s not an option. She deserves more than that from me.”

Duo sat back from the edge of the bed and put his legs up, propping himself back against the headboard, and Wufei took that as a signal that it was time to give Duo some space so he could rest, but he felt rooted to the floor, body protesting his plan to exit, not when Duo looked rumpled and touchable and… just…

“She couldn’t have a better dad, ‘Fei. Please believe me when I say that.”

“I feel like a fuck-up.”

“Nope.” Duo’s mouth looked mulish, and he gave him an emphatic shake of his head. “I will _fight_ you if you keep thinking that or ever say that again, Wufei.”

“It’s hard, trying to do this by myself.”

“You made a human. Without an instruction manual, no warranty and no return policy. It’s not like putting together a coffee table. There’s a lot more snot to wipe.”

That tugged a smile out of Wufei. “That, there _is_.” Wufei sighed, yawning and trying to smother it before it reached its full resonance. “Sorry. I’m gonna get out of your-“

“Don’t.”

“-hair. Huh?”

“Don’t, quite yet.” Duo’s expression stopped him, the way he straightened up from the headboard and let one foot sink to the floor, like he was making up his mind whether to get up.

“Do you need anything?” Wufei ran through all of the possible, harmless options of things to offer Duo before he turned in. Warm milk. Tea. A spare blanket. Grown-up Tylenol. Sometimes, he complained about a stiff neck from working on his beloved cars. 

“Shit,” Duo muttered, then sighed as he made his mind up about something that made Wufei’s stomach dip. Duo threw up his hand and let it drop, then he stood from the bed. Hope flared in Wufei’s chest for a moment. “I do. Need something.”

“What do you-“

He didn’t move back when Duo closed the gap between them, hesitantly reaching for his hand and curling his fingers around his, and Wufei didn’t make any attempt to fight the halting, but eventually warm hug he engulfed him in, and he forced a shaky breath from his chest. “Okay,” Wufei muttered. “This is fine…”

“Oh, thank God,” Duo confirmed, and Wufei’s low snicker sounded a little hysterical to his own ears, carrying with it so much relief, because it was so… overwhelming to get something he wanted without having to ask for it directly. Because he _wanted_ Duo pressed against him, sharing the warmth of his smooth skin and the faint, herbal scent of his shampoo, and the rapid zip of his pulse against Wufei’s cheek. His body was lean and hard and solid, and he felt so good in Wufei’s arms, once he realized he was _clinging_ to him, hands skimming over his back.

Wufei wasn’t helping his own case any in terms of not wanting to ask too much. Duo’s hand stroked through his hair, and he husked out a moan that he knew sounded needy, but Duo’s touch felt so good; he was so hungry for it. He leaned into it, and Duo chuckled.

“You like that.”

“Don’t stop. Don’t let go of me.”

“Are you _kidding_?” Duo’s laugh sounded brittle and disbelieving, this time. “I don’t want to. Trust me, ‘Fei. I don’t want to let you go.”

Wufei didn’t want to admit that he wanted – needed – to be held. He needed to lean on Duo, to feel his strength and breathe him in. The tangibility of him was only part of what he craved…

“I’ve always wanted this,” Duo admitted.

…that. _That._

Wufei almost hoped Duo wouldn’t notice him brushing his lips over the crest of his shoulder, barely grazing the seam of his undershirt. He didn’t want to take too much or make Duo pull away, didn’t want to misstep, but there was that relief washing over him again when he felt Duo’s lips at his temple, against his hair, felt his warm breath misting lightly over his skin and giving him pleasant little chills.

Wufei pulled back, but he didn’t release Duo. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I didn’t know how to say it.”

“No clue here, either. I suck at this part.”

Duo shook his head, then punctuated the sentiment with soft kiss on his cool cheek. Wufei wanted so badly to know how his lips tasted, they were well-shaped and a little chapped, but pink, curled in that smirk that Wufei loved and so inviting. He reached up and cupped Duo’s jaw in his palm, and Duo inclined his head down a mere fraction to meet him. It was just a soft brush of lips at first, and Wufei’s eyes drifted shut, but not before he noticed that Duo’s pupils were large, that his grip on Wufei tightened with want…

Duo’s arms coiled tightly around Wufei’s waist, and he groaned as he kissed him again, coaxing him to give him more. The kisses remained soft, but grew less chaste. Duo chased Wufei’s lower lip, capturing it and sucking on it, giving into the urge to taste him, and he made a sound of approval. Every voice in Wufei’s head chorused _Don’t STOP_ at him as he tugged at Duo, fingers fisting in the back of his undershirt, around that glorious, thick braid… his chest was pressed against Duo’s and he felt his heartbeat, his warmth. Duo’s skin grew hot, and his hands framed Wufei’s jaw, tilting it for better access, and dear, sweet Lord, that was his _tongue in his mouth_. Wufei’s heart was pounding in his chest. The kisses were dizzying and thorough, but he had to come up for air and salvage whatever shreds of reason he still possessed. His brain cells weren’t cooperating. Duo could _kiss_. Good grief…

“You have an early day tomorrow,” Wufei reminded him.

“So do you.”

“We should be sleeping.”

“Lying down counts as sleeping.” Duo’s voice was rough, maybe a little desperate as he chased Wufei’s lips, nibbling on the lower one, and Wufei groaned, trying not to be too loud. Melinda was a light sleeper, like so many other toddlers, and Wufei’s apartment’s walls were thin.

“Not if you don’t sleep.” But Duo was tugging him to the bed, backing into it and sitting back down, pulling Wufei to stand between his knees. “Stay. M’lonely.” He grinned up at him and prized another kiss from him, and Wufei’s hands drifted to his shoulders. “Tuck me in.”

Wufei huffed, shaking his head. “If I do, we’ll never sleep.”

Wufei scolded himself for not fighting it when Duo’s hands crept beneath his undershirt, skimming over his waist before he jerked the thin cotton top off in one smooth rush, chucking it onto the floor. “Okay,” Wufei said, letting Duo kiss away his laughter and make short work of both their clothes.

*

 

Wufei woke to the sound of his daughter’s thudding feet coming down the hall from one direction first, her slightly distressed call of “Ba-ba?” before she headed in the direction of the guest room. She had woken Duo at the crack of dawn before, trying to find her favorite uncle as soon as she rose for the day. She was tousled and grinning and still a little bleary-eyed when she found them, and Wufei grunted as she tackle-dove onto him.

Duo echoed him with an “Oof!” of his own, because why wouldn’t he? Wufei was plastered to him, wrapped up in the covers, and Duo’s chest still sported gleaming drool tracks and a faint crease from the press of the bunched up sheets. Duo reached out and ruffled Melinda’s hair, and Wufei leaned up and kissed her cheek.

“Want breakfast, ba-ba.”

“Give me a minute, okay, sweetheart?” Wufei accepted her kiss and she darted out of the room to turn on her shows. He was still exhausted, and he noticed with a quick glance that Melinda woke them about fifteen minutes before the alarm was due to go off. _Typical_. He sighed and rubbed his face, but before he could get up, Duo snared him and rolled him to his back. His hair was down, hanging in tangles, and Wufei guiltily remembered running his hands through it, how decadent and soft it felt as it curtained their faces, draining kisses from each other’s mouths. 

“Just to warn you,” Duo told him as he closed in on him, “your neck is a mess.”

“What? Shit! Seriously?”

“Language, pal. Don’t want Short Stuff to hear you…”

“You suck.”

“I know. I did.”

“Oh, my God, you’re the worst.”

But Duo’s grin gave him little ripples of excitement, and he sighed in contentment as Duo pulled him beneath him for a few more good morning cuddles before they got up to make breakfast.

-FIN.


End file.
